Introduction
Each patient that is in need of care have varying needs. Similarly, there are also patients with varying preferences. This means that while the standard health care provided by a health institution may readily satisfy the needs of a patient, there are bound to be shortcomings for some patients. This is because in terms of health care, one strategy does not fit all. This is the same reason why there patients with the same illnesses, but undergo different treatment options. Furthermore, the hospitals should likewise be able to provide the health needs of their patients to the best of their ability.
In the case scenario that will be used in this paper, a patient who has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure or CHF is the person of interest. He had five hospital admissions within the last two months due to the exacerbation of his CHF. This paper will likewise discuss whether it is probable and efficient for the hospital in the scenario to develop a specialty program that could address the CHF of outpatients. This will be done by an analysis and appraisal of select literature and certain guidelines set by health institutions.
Body
PICOT
The case scenario will be simplified using a PICOT question.
P (Patient): The patient of interest is conflicted with CHF that had exacerbated.
I (Intervention): The intervention that is proposed is a specialty program regarding early heart failure should be considered.
C (Comparison): The alternative to this plan is the frequent hospital readmission of patients with CHF.
O (Outcome): The desired outcome is that the patients will receive a better health care. For instance, difficulties in breathing will be relieved.
T (Type of Question): Therapy or treatment
Background Information
Congestive heart failure, also known as heart failure, is the result when the cardiac muscles do not pump enough blood. This may be a result of a variety of conditions like high blood pressure and coronary diseases or diseases that can narrow down the arteries. These conditions likewise render one’s stiff or too weak to perform its functions efficiently. While some cases of CHF may be readily addressed or reversed, there are cases that may depend on treatments to relieve its symptoms or allow the patient to live a longer life. Furthermore, CHF is a disease that may be influenced by the lifestyle of a person (Mayo Clinic, 2016).
On the other hand, a readmission is the subsequent admission of a patient to a hospital with a health care concerns who was also admitted within a month or 30 days with the same heath concern. There have been efforts to reduce readmissions with certain diseases such as those with exacerbation of pulmonary and cardiac diseases in order to reduce the cost of health care. Moreover, many views that the readmission ratios of hospitals can be a measure of the efficiency of the health care that it can offer which ultimately speaks of health care quality (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2016).
Literature Review
Provided that readmission rates should be reduced, it is also proper that the readmission of the patient in the case scenario should also be reduced. Furthermore, the recommended intervention would be specialized programs that could help with CHF or heart failure even in its early stages.
A study in 2001 evaluated medical strategies that deviated from traditional ones in patients with CHF. They did it by evaluating evidences or data from various management strategies that was developed in the Duke Hear Failure Program. They studies patients that were admitted for CHF that displayed the same set of symptoms or severity. The study determined that the utilization of non-traditional measures to address patients with CHF was effective in reducing readmission or hospitalization rate, increasing hospital visits, and reducing the cost for up to 8571 US dollars per patient in a year (Whellan et al.).
Another study determined that an early recognition for CHF is among the best method to help patients with high readmission risks. Through an early recognition of one’s condition, health care professionals can formulate strategies to prevent the exacerbation of the disease (Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursin, 2012). Moreover, readmission rates can be further lowered by making patients with CHF to adapt a lifestyle that can reduce risk factors (Lloyd-Jones, 2002).
Aside from a series of diagnostics and other programs to ensure that outpatients with CHF will not be readmitted, telemonitoring may also be done. A study in 2006 used telemonitoring to deal with outpatients. Telemonitoring is the use of devices that allow health care professionals monitor their patients with CHF. This study incorporated other six studies to reach to a conclusion. They concluded that telemonitoring can be effective to manage patients with CHF (Chaudry et al.). Thus, reducing readmission rates.
Based from the findings, a specialized program for patients with CHF should be implemented. Among the features of this specialized program is the telemonitoring of the patients. If telemonitoring is applied to the patient in the scenario, then health care professionals can be alerted before the patient’s condition worsen and need readmission. The patient of interest should also undergo scheduled clinical visits instead of waiting for his condition to exacerbate. Additionally, monitoring the patient’s lifestyle should also be part of the program. Furthermore, with the said specialized program in place, it can be expected that the readmission rate and the health care cost for the patient will be reduced.
Conclusion
Readmission is an indication of the health care quality for patients with CHF. It should likewise be reduced so that costs may be reduced. To address this, a specialized program that incorporates validated findings from various studies should be used. Moreover, this program will not be successful without the participation and cooperation of the patient of interest.
References
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2016). Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP). Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Retrieved July 23,2016.
Chaudhry,S., Phillips, C., Stewart, S., Riegel,B., Mattera, J., Jerant,A. and Krumholz, H. (2006). Telemonitoring for Patients With Chronic Heart Failure: A Systematic Review. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 13(1): 56-62.
Grady, K., Dracup, K., Kennedy, G., Moser,D., Piano, M., Stevenson, L.W. and Young, J. (2000). Team Management of Patients With Heart Failure. American Heart Association.
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing. (2012). Heart failure: early recognition, and treatment of the patient at risk for hospital readmission. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
Lloyd-Jones, D., Larson, M., Leip,E. Beiser, A., D’Agostino, R., Kannel,W., Murabito, J., Vasan, R., Benjamin, E. and Levy, D. (2002). Lifetime Risk for Developing Congestive Heart Failure. The Framingham Heart Study. Retrieved July 23,2016.
Mayo Clinic. (2016). Heart Failure. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved July 23,2016.
Philbin, E. (1999). Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Programs for the Management of Patients with Congestive Heart Failure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 14 (2): 130-135.
Whellan, D., Gaulden, L., Gattis, W., Granger, B., Russel, S., Blazing, M., Cuffe, M. and O’Connor, C. (2001). The Benefit of Implementing a Heart Failure Disease Management Program. Arch Intern Med, 161 (18): 2223-2228.
